Brain Changes Linked To Depersonalization/Derealization
Altered Self-Referential-Related Brain Regions in Depersonalization-Derealization Disorder.
Yuan Jia, Nan Song, Yanzhe Ning, Hong Zhu, Linrui Dong, Sitong Feng, Hongxiao Jia, Mingkang Song, Sisi Zheng.
February 2025
Summary
This study used brain scans (rs-fMRI) to investigate differences in brain networks related to self-reflection in people with depersonalization-derealization disorder (DDD). Researchers identified key brain regions involved in self-referential processing and compared their connectivity in DDD patients and healthy controls. They found altered connections between these regions in DDD, particularly involving the insula and cortical midline structures, which might relate to specific DDD symptoms like feeling unreal or experiencing perceptual changes. Based on these brain differences, a machine-learning model (AI) could distinguish DDD patients from healthy controls with 88.5% accuracy.
These findings suggest that disruptions in these brain networks could contribute to DDD and might represent targets for future treatments.